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en-usCopyright 2015 AOL, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/23/ubisoft-week-kicks-off-on-steam-with-prince-of-persia-discounts/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/23/ubisoft-week-kicks-off-on-steam-with-prince-of-persia-discounts/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/23/ubisoft-week-kicks-off-on-steam-with-prince-of-persia-discounts/#comments
Ubisoft's chosen to kick off its week-long series of discounts on Ubisoft titles with the company's most acrobatic franchise. For today only, shoppers can grab individual Prince of Persia titles for 66 percent off, or the Prince of Persia complete pack for 75 percent off.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>pcprince-of-persiaprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandsprince-of-persia-the-sands-of-timeprince-of-persia-the-two-thronesprince-of-persia-warrior-withinsteamubisoftMon, 23 May 2011 22:05:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/21/red-dead-redemption-joins-games-on-demand-for-60-pop-tfs-p/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/21/red-dead-redemption-joins-games-on-demand-for-60-pop-tfs-p/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/21/red-dead-redemption-joins-games-on-demand-for-60-pop-tfs-p/#comments
Xbox Live Marketplace's Games on Demand has added Red Dead Redemption, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands and Narnia: Prince Caspian at prices one could kindly classify as "outrageous."

Red Dead Redemption is listed at its full boxed retail price of $60. We've confirmed with Rockstar that the digital copy is just the original game and doesn't include any of the DLC. Obviously, we recommend purchasing this through the marketplace like we recommend a rattlesnake bite to the groin. Prince of Persia: TFS and Caspian are priced at $30 apiece (way above their Amazonprices).

With all the deals we've seen leading up to Christmas, we can't in good conscience recommend any of these to you. If you have any interest in these titles, just wait and see what discounts will be available at retail after the holiday.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftNarniaPrince-Caspianprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandsRed-Dead-Redemptionxblmxboxxbox-live-marketplaceTue, 21 Dec 2010 19:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/19/pop-forgotten-sands-for-10-and-more-in-amazons-stocking-stuf/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/19/pop-forgotten-sands-for-10-and-more-in-amazons-stocking-stuf/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/19/pop-forgotten-sands-for-10-and-more-in-amazons-stocking-stuf/#commentsIf the nightmare-inducing image atop our website hasn't clued you in sufficiently, Black Friday is almost upon us, just days away from capturing us in its deal-filled maw. Amazon has spent the whole pre-Thanksgiving week offering themed sales, and today it's "Stocking Stuffers," which translates to "really cheap games."

For example, you can get Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands on Xbox for $10 today, or Metal Gear Solid 4 for $13. In addition, today's Lightning Deal, beginning at 1PM EST/10AM PST, promises to tell "the story behind a legendary Nintendo protagonist" -- suggesting a deal on Metroid: Other M. See more deals after the break, and the full list at Amazon. And here's a stocking big enough to stuff all these game deals into.

Halo: Reach took the top spot on the UK all-formats sales chart last week. According to Chart-Track, Reach's first-week sales were 20,000 units ahead of Halo 3 and 200,000 more than Halo 3: ODST. The members of Noble 6 also had the fifth biggest launch ever in the UK, with the top four belonging to Modern Warfare 2 (Xbox 360 and PS3), GTA: San Andreas (PS2) and GTA IV (Xbox 360), respectively.

Likely a distant, but still impressive, debut at the number two spot is PlayStation Move's Sports Champions. The only other Move-required games in the top 40 were Start the Party! (#29) and Ubisoft's Racket Sports (#32). Rounding out the top three was Mafia 2, which held the top sales spot for the three weeks prior.

Ubisoft's Prince of Persia: Forgotten Sands turned back time and went up the charts to fifth place last week, likely due to the movie's home video launch and retail promotions. Also, Ubi's Just Dance made it back into the top ten in eighth place. It gave us a good scare last week when the stalwart Wii-exclusive slipped to 11. Check out the UK top ten after the break.

When Games for Windows Live's Games on Demand service launched in December we said it was "marching onto the [PC digital distribution] field about an hour after the match ended." Three hours later (in metaphoric time), the service announced today it will offer day-and-date game releases from publishers 2K Games, Capcom, Microsoft Game Studios (what a coup!), Rockstar Games, THQ and Ubisoft. We can't help but imagine Steam, Impulse and all the other digital distribution players at their post-game parties laughing.

The initial day-and-date offering by the service is Ubisoft's Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands. At the same time, the Prince of Persia games The Sands of Time and Warrior Within are each $2.50 -- which seem like much better deals than the aforementioned title. The service has also added several more games, which we've listed after the break.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2k-GamescapcomGames-for-Windowsgames-for-windows-livegames-on-demandpcprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandsrockstar-gamesthqubisoftTue, 08 Jun 2010 19:10:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/26/pc-deluxe-edition-of-prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-inc/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/26/pc-deluxe-edition-of-prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-inc/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/26/pc-deluxe-edition-of-prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-inc/#commentsIf you're considering a purchase of Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands on PC, why not get a version that comes with one or two extra games? A pre-ordered copy of the Digital Deluxe Edition, available on Steam, includes a map, a soundtrack, two extra skins, and, most importantly, a free copy of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time to play while you wait for the June 8 release of Forgotten Sands.

You'll also get a free copy of Sands of Time's sequel, Prince of Persia: Warrior Within. In fact, you'll get that freebie on Steam whether you buy the $60 deluxe version or the $50 regular version. The only reason you may not want to jump on either of these deals is that playing these games right before Forgotten Sands may make the new game seem even more lackluster.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventurecollectors-editiondigital-deluxe-editionplatformerprince-of-persiaprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandsprince-of-persia-the-sands-of-timeprince-of-persia-warrior-withinsteamubisoftWed, 26 May 2010 21:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/19/european-psn-releases-for-may-19/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/19/european-psn-releases-for-may-19/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/19/european-psn-releases-for-may-19/#comments
Happy ModNation Racers day, everyone! A healthy portion of the European PSN update this week focuses on United Front's customizable racer on both its big and tiny platforms. There's also the launch of downloadable versions of Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands and Armoured Core 3 Portable on the PSP, the addition of the "Darkspawn Chronicles" DLC for Dragon Age: Origins and Aerosmith's "Love in an Elevator" finally gets added to Guitar Hero 5. We can sleep well tonight with that knowledge in our brains.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armored-core-3-portablemodnation-racersprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandspsn-thursdaypsn-wednesdaypsn-weeklyWed, 19 May 2010 10:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/18/review-prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-xbox-360/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/18/review-prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-xbox-360/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/18/review-prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-xbox-360/#comments
When I think about it, Ubisoft really couldn't have chosen a more appropriate subtitle for the latest Prince of Persia outing, "The Forgotten Sands." It really does feel as if the game was in development years ago and perhaps shelved in favor of the dramatic series "reboot" in 2008 -- and then forgotten.

Until, that is, a movie based on the franchise was due in theaters and happened to draw from the Sands of Time motif. The Forgotten Sands certainly isn't a movie game (aside from its conveniently timed release), but it hasn't sprung from a well of creativity, either.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Microsoftprince-of-persiaprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandsubisoftXbox-360Tue, 18 May 2010 12:05:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/17/prince-of-persia-forgotten-sands-launch-trailer-covers-the-bases/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/17/prince-of-persia-forgotten-sands-launch-trailer-covers-the-bases/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/17/prince-of-persia-forgotten-sands-launch-trailer-covers-the-bases/#comments
Here's the launch trailer for Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands. It's essentially a primer for anyone who has somehow missed the copious coverage of the game so far. Let's run down the bullet points, shall we?

Platforming -- check!

Puzzles -- got 'em!

Combat -- yup.

Elemental magic -- of course.

Ancient, angry sand demon -- you'd better believe it!

For those that require something more substantial than this primer before leaping into the Prince's latest adventure, watch out for our Forgotten Sands review -- which we'll remember to post tomorrow afternoon.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>MicrosoftNintendoprince-of-persiaprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandstrailerubisoftubisoft-montrealubisoft-quebecvideoWiiXbox-360Mon, 17 May 2010 17:04:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/17/joyswag-prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/17/joyswag-prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/17/joyswag-prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands/#commentsUpdate: The entry period has closed.

Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands revisits the Sands of Time universe, taking place between the first and second games in the celebrated, last-gen trilogy. Ubisoft has sent us two copies of the game, which will be released this week; one of which you could win by following the rules for entry below. To enter this giveaway:

Leave a comment telling us the first Prince of Persia game you played (if any); and also indicate your preferred platform, should you win: PS3 or Xbox 360

You must be 13 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec).

Limit 1 entry per person.

This entry period ends at 3:00PM ET on Tuesday, May 18.

At that time, we will randomly select 2 winners. One winner who indicated the "PS3" platform in a winning comment will receive Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands for PS3, a Prince of Persia beanie and Prince of Persia iPhone skin (total ARV $59.99); and one winner who indicated the "Xbox 360" platform in a winning comment will receive Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands for Xbox 360, a Prince of Persia beanie and Prince of Persia iPhone skin (total ARV $59.99). Please note: Games, beanies and iPhone skins are promotional items not for resale.

What is Joyswag? Since we don't keep the games and merchandise we receive for review or promotional purposes, it becomes "Joyswag," which is passed along to our readers. Please note that Joyswag may be in "used" condition.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>joyswagMicrosoftprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandsXbox-360Mon, 17 May 2010 15:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/14/prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-returns-to-2d-gameplay-on/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/14/prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-returns-to-2d-gameplay-on/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/14/prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-returns-to-2d-gameplay-on/#comments
Excuse the pun, but we had nearly forgotten about the PSP version of Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands. While Ubisoft has been busy promoting the PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii counterparts, it's only now that it has unveiled the PSP version. Joel Vignola, Ubisoft producer, debuted a new video on the PlayStation.Blog (embedded after the break) and emphasized that the PSP version is a "unique game built from the ground up" and "is not a port from any other system."

While the console versions are full 3D adventures, the PSP version appears to play on a 2D field, akin to Prince of Persia Classic. However, Vignola clarified a bit further, describing the game as a "3D sidescroller, because the world itself is 3D and we play with depth ... the Prince [is] not always locked onto an axis."

As with Assassin's Creed Bloodlines, The Forgotten Sands is promising connectivity between the PS3 and PSP versions of the game. By connecting the two, you'll be awarded bonus XP in the PS3 version and the original Sands of Time costume for the PSP version. Hopefully, the similarities with the PSP Assassin's Creed end there -- Bloodlines wasn't exactly a critical darling.

The PSP version of Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands will be available on UMD and PSN on the same day as its console counterparts: May 18.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>connectivityprince-of-persiaprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandspsnubisoftumdFri, 14 May 2010 19:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/12/prince-of-persia-flash-game-is-better-than-you-think/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/12/prince-of-persia-flash-game-is-better-than-you-think/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/12/prince-of-persia-flash-game-is-better-than-you-think/#comments
For all the vitriol we hurl at Wii shovelware and farming-centric Facebook games, we often forget the class of electronic entertainment most deserving of scorn: The Flash promotional game. No, not a game promoting The Flash (honestly, dude could use some love right now) but rather those diminutive, ugly trifles that litter official sites of movies and (in some cases) fast food restaurants.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>browser-basedflashprince-of-persiaprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandspromotionalubisoftWed, 12 May 2010 17:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/12/prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-trailer-has-some-good-ele/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/12/prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-trailer-has-some-good-ele/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/12/prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-trailer-has-some-good-ele/#comments
Whether you're a big fan of Captain Planet, or a proficient Pokémon battler, or a secret lifetime member of the Illuminati, or you really love funk -- you're probably familiar with the four main natural elements: Earth, Fire, Wind and Water. The latest trailer for Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands shows how each of these elements plays a part in combat and platforming. That includes the Prince's ability to dash through the air, or freeze and climb upon jets of water.

Be warned -- we've watched it about seven times now, and we've yet to see any representation for the greatest element of all: Heart.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>elementsMicrosoftprince-of-persiaprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandstrailerubisoftvideoXbox-360Wed, 12 May 2010 12:15:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/08/dont-forget-to-watch-the-pop-forgotten-sands-intro/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/08/dont-forget-to-watch-the-pop-forgotten-sands-intro/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/08/dont-forget-to-watch-the-pop-forgotten-sands-intro/#comments
Pre-rendered game trailers may not do a very good job of preparing us for actual gameplay, but it's hard to beat good CG for setting the mood. Case in point: The intro trailer to Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands. We've got the Prince, a mysterious woman, a massive battle, daring leaps and one of the faintest goatees in gaming history. See it all in the trailer above.

Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands hits consoles on May 18 with a PC version to follow in June.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>MicrosoftNintendoprince-of-persiaprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandsubisoftubisoft-montrealubisoft-quebecWiiXbox-360Sat, 08 May 2010 01:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/14/prince-of-persia-trailer-reminds-us-that-wii-version-exists/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/14/prince-of-persia-trailer-reminds-us-that-wii-version-exists/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/14/prince-of-persia-trailer-reminds-us-that-wii-version-exists/#commentsThe Wii version of Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands is distinct from the other, HD consoles' version. In this new trailer, you can see some of the unique elements in play, including the ability to use the Wiimote pointer to place "sand rings" on solid objects, creating handholds for the Prince.

The Ubisoft Quebec-developed Wii game does have a few things in common with the PS3 and Xbox 360 Forgotten Sands game, as well. For example, they're both pretty! Ubisoft has worked some magic of its own to render such fine visuals on the Wii. All versions of Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands are set for the same May 18 release date.

Even with James Cameron's name attached to it, the Avatar video game simply wasn't good. While a few games (Goldeneye, Chronicles of Riddick) manage to escape the "movie game curse," most licensed games are plagued by mediocrity. Jerry Bruckheimer, producer of the upcoming Prince of Persia movie, explained to Gamasutra that studios have "this business model where they know they'll sell X amount of games on that opening couple of weeks, and a lot of them do that, rather than take their time and create a wonderful game."

While such a conclusion is probably obvious to the average Joystiq reader, it's vindicating to hear a high-profile producer admit to such industry shortcomings. Bruckheimer does offer a reasonable solution: release licensed games alongside their movie counterparts' home video releases to give them more development time. "As long as it's a good game, people will play it," concluded Bruckheimer.

"The problem is, to really make a good game, it really takes a long time," explained Bruckheimer, whose game studio is taking its sweet time (to even announce a title). "So by the time you green-light a movie, it's a year to a year-and-a-half until it's out. That's too short a period for a video game to be made. It's a three-year process to get a really good game made, and that's where they fail."

Incidentally, Ubisoft's Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, which is tangentially related to Bruckheimer's film, will release ten days before the movie, following just about two years of development time.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>jerry-bruckheimerMicrosoftNintendoprince-of-persiaprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandsWiiXbox-360Wed, 14 Apr 2010 14:01:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/13/prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-pre-order-freebies/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/13/prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-pre-order-freebies/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/13/prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-pre-order-freebies/#commentsUbisoft has announced a fairly comprehensive roundup of the free junk you'll get from pre-ordering Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands from various American retailers. We say "fairly comprehensive" because only the bonuses associated with the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game have been covered.

Pre-ordering Forgotten Sands from GameStop will earn you the previously revealed "Forgotten Arena" gameplay mode. An Amazon pre-order will be $5 off and come with a free Prince of Persia mobile game. And Best Buy pre-orders will include a downloadable "SandWraith" character skin based on the Prince's transformation in Prince of Persia: Warrior Within.

Ubisoft appears to have mistimed its jump with this announcement, however, as these offers have yet to appear on the Amazon or Best Buy product pages. Luckily, the company has possession of the Dagger of Time. Any second now ...

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonbest-buybonusgamestopMicrosoftpre-orderpre-order-bonusprince-of-persiaprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandsubisoftXbox-360Tue, 13 Apr 2010 18:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/01/prince-of-persia-forgotten-sands-collector-edition/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/01/prince-of-persia-forgotten-sands-collector-edition/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/01/prince-of-persia-forgotten-sands-collector-edition/#commentsUbisoft has released a new gameplay trailer for Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands. First and foremost, the trailer should do quite a bit to please fans hoping for a return to the days of Sands of Time. The whole trailer is highly reminiscent of the game that brought the Prince back to gaming way back in 2003, which is no coincidence. At PAX East, Ubisoft told us quite a bit about the ways that Forgotten Sands will return to the roots of the series, something we got to experience with our own hands-on time with the title. You can check out the platform-filled, trap-laden video above.

In other news, the video also announced the Collector Edition of the game. The Xbox and PS3 editions will include the XBLA and PSN versions of Prince of Persia Classic, confirming a rumor that began floating around earlier this year. The PC version will include a copy of Sands of Time. The Collector Edition will also feature bonus in-game content, including a survival mode, sand wraith skin and Malik skin. It's worth pointing out that this is a European trailer for the game, so it's possible that the Collector Edition won't make it to other regions. We've contacted Ubisoft for more details -- including the price -- and will update this post with any new information.

The console versions of Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sandsreleases May 18 with a PC release following in June.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>collector-editioneuropeMicrosoftprince-of-persiaprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandsubisoftubisoft-montrealXbox-360Thu, 01 Apr 2010 14:20:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/31/interview-prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-michael-mcinty/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/31/interview-prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-michael-mcinty/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/31/interview-prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-michael-mcinty/#comments
Positioned as a new sequel to fan favorite Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Ubisoft Montreal's Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands is a clear return to tradition. It diverges from 2008's cel-shaded scurrier in more ways than one: platforming is more difficult; the time rewind is back; and the adventure is entirely linear. Though the game showed promise at PAX East 2010, we couldn't help but ask Level Design Director Michael McIntyre what this familiar entry means for fans and the franchise.

Joystiq: Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands -- how is that being positioned to fans of 2008's game? Is it an apology?

Michael McIntyre: Oh, not at all. Actually, this project was started before that game even released, so we had no idea how that game was going to be received. We knew that the PoP 2008 was a daring take on the Prince of Persia franchise. but we knew that there would be people that definitely liked it and we just weren't certain what fans of Sands of Time would take it, even though we knew it was quite different from Sands of Time. So, there was already an early plan to do a Sands of Time-type game, not at the same time but it was already in progress.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>interviewsmichael-mcintyreMicrosoftpax-east-2010prince-of-persiaprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandsubisoftubisoft-montrealubisoft-quebecXbox-360Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/26/hands-on-prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-360/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/26/hands-on-prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-360/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/26/hands-on-prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-360/#comments Regardless of how you felt about Ubisoft's 2008 Prince of Persia, it represented a clear departure from the acclaimed Sands of Time trilogy -- an experiment, even. And although, on a granular level, The Forgotten Sands modifies the formula through the addition of elemental powers, they primarily strengthen the game's familiar basis of linear platforming mixed with light combat.

It's a solid basis and one that Ubisoft clearly believes to be worth pursuing again this May (especially with movie buzz in the air), but it hasn't been swept clean of old problems. Even in the short snippet of gameplay on show at PAX East, the combat feels like filler. It's competent -- and the Prince's agility adds an exciting flourish to every strike and finishing blow -- but it never feels complex enough to stand out as anything more than "that thing you do between platforming segments." That's a problem Prince of Persia often shares with Tomb Raider.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Microsoftpax-eastpax-east-2010platformingprince-of-persiaprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandsubisoftubisoft-montrealXbox-360Fri, 26 Mar 2010 18:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/24/pop-the-forgotten-sands-getting-new-mode-with-gamestop-pre-orde/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/24/pop-the-forgotten-sands-getting-new-mode-with-gamestop-pre-orde/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/24/pop-the-forgotten-sands-getting-new-mode-with-gamestop-pre-orde/#comments
Let's face it, buying a game is just too simple. You don't want to just walk into any store and know that you'll get the same game you would get somewhere else. No, you crave complication. Sensing this innate need, Ubisoft has announced, via the Prince of Persia Facebook page, that those who pre-order Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands from GameStop will receive an exclusive new game mode. The offer, incidentally, applies only to the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions, so PC and Wii gamers are out of luck.

The bonus mode is entitled Forgotten Arena and tasks players with defeating "waves of relentless enemies" in classic survival mode style. There is no time limit, killed enemies will regenerate health and the number of enemies increases over time. The description also notes that players who can defeat 100 enemies "may have what it takes to become a real Prince of Persia," though it's unclear if doing so will unlock any actual rewards or any actual royalty.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Microsoftpoppre-orderprince-of-persiaprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandsubisoftXbox-360Wed, 24 Mar 2010 19:55:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/21/prince-of-persia-forgotten-sands-dev-diary-demoes-wii-versions/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/21/prince-of-persia-forgotten-sands-dev-diary-demoes-wii-versions/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/21/prince-of-persia-forgotten-sands-dev-diary-demoes-wii-versions/#comments
Wondering how Ubisoft's upcoming Wii iteration of the timeless royal platformer, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, will implement the system's decreasingly unique control scheme? Wonder no further -- just past the jump, you'll find the first installment in a series of developer diaries for the game, which shows off the motion-controlled powers at your disposal, as well as the title's light co-op mechanics. Man, if New Super Mario Bros. Wii almost tore your family apart, we can't imagine what PoP's shenanigans will be capable of.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dev-diaryNintendoprince-of-persiaprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandsubisoftvideoWiiSun, 21 Mar 2010 13:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/08/prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-gameplay-footage-revealed/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/08/prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-gameplay-footage-revealed/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/08/prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-gameplay-footage-revealed/#commentsPhew, we can all relax now. According to this first gameplay footage from Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, all concerns that the new game would forgo elements of exploration and environmental puzzle-solving -- and just go all-out "Bruckheimer" -- should be allayed. Plus, The Prince totally has some Andy Gibb hair going on. That's awesome, right?

The Forgotten Sands puts our Prince in his brother's neighboring kingdom during a great conflict. As a last-ditch effort to ensure the survival of the kingdom, the two release the Sands of Time, which saves everyone ... but also unleashes dark horrors. Uh-oh.

In PoP news, Eurogamer reports the PC version will release in June, a month after the console installments (due May 18). This is nothing new for Ubisoft, as the publisher followed the same protocol with staggered releases of both Assassin's Creed games. And if waiting an extra month hasn't deterred your goal to play The Forgotten Sands on the PC, know that it will also include Ubisoft's internet-based DRM solution -- something to keep in mind.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>MicrosoftNintendoprince-of-persiaprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandsrelease-datethe-forgotten-sandstrailerubisoftvideoWiiXbox-360Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/28/nintendo-media-summit-2010-the-recap-post/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/28/nintendo-media-summit-2010-the-recap-post/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/28/nintendo-media-summit-2010-the-recap-post/#comments
The 2010 Nintendo Media Summit has come and gone, and sent a wave of huge Nintendo news through the industry. We had hands-on time with some of the Wii's biggest upcoming titles, screenshots for almost everything on Nintendo's 2010 calendar and a big ol' sack full of new videos. In case you missed anything, we've wrapped it all up and have it here for you in one tidy little package.

For no apparent reason, the Wii version of Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sandswasn't playable at Nintendo Media Summit in San Francisco. I take that back -- it was playable, just not by anyone whose paycheck doesn't have an Ubisoft logo on it. Still, I watched and learned as a live demo was given. And hey, it looks solid so far. (Well, except for ... well, I'll get to that in a moment.)
The game looks like a mash-up of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and the most recent (and more simply titled 2008 reboot) Prince of Persia, featuring the environments of the former and the saturated color palette of the latter. It also runs really well; it's locked at 60 frames per second. What doesn't look so hot: The stiffly animated Prince himself. Given the fluidity of the action, I expected his movements to be, well, more fluid.

Said to have been in development for two years now, The Forgotten Sands seems to make good use of the Wiimote for performing fantastic feats with the Sands of Time. Much like in Super Mario Galaxy, players will be able to aim the Prince's magic independently of his movement -- using the cursor to place "sand rings" anywhere on walls for handholds, "sand columns" to reach new heights and a "sand sphere" that lets the Prince hover in-between leaps, planning his next move. The result looks to provide a lot more freedom in the ways that levels can be navigated. I just hope the Prince ends up looking cooler while sand-magic-ing his way through the world in the final release.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Nintendonintendo-media-summit-2010prince-of-persiaprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandsubisoftWiiThu, 25 Feb 2010 00:32:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/24/prince-of-persia-snes-included-with-the-forgotten-sands-on-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/24/prince-of-persia-snes-included-with-the-forgotten-sands-on-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/24/prince-of-persia-snes-included-with-the-forgotten-sands-on-wii/#comments
Which Prince of Persia game features "superb graphic detail and incredibly fluid animation" and "more thrills than a saber duel with a thousand sultans"? If you answered, "Ubisoft's Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands," you'd ... well, you'd probably be right. But that text first appeared on the SNES box of 1992's Prince of Persia, an enhanced port of Jordan Mechner's original vizier vanquish-'em-up.

Nintendo announced at its San Francisco media event today that the SNES game will be included in the Wii version of Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, which is slated for release on May 18. Earlier this month, rumors suggested that Prince of Persia Classic -- a direct remake of the original game, initially released on Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network -- would be included in The Forgotten Sands. Instead, Wii owners get classicPrince of Persia exclusively.

Don't fret too much about the platforms, though. You're probably in for more thrills than a saber duel with a thousand sultans no matter what.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bonusNintendopopportprince-of-persiaprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandssnesubisoftWiiWed, 24 Feb 2010 14:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/17/rumor-the-forgotten-sands-may-include-prince-of-persia-classic/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/17/rumor-the-forgotten-sands-may-include-prince-of-persia-classic/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/17/rumor-the-forgotten-sands-may-include-prince-of-persia-classic/#comments
According to a BBFC listing, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands may include a special bonus -- Prince of Persia Classic. Unfortunately, the listing isn't enough to discern whether the classic version would be the same game now available on Xbox Live and PSN, or if it's part of some kind of special edition package.

When asked for comment, a Ubisoft representative told Joystiq it would not comment on rumors. Although our questions remain unanswered, at least we can look forward to the Sands of Time prince coming to the HD era and answering a few other questions.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>MicrosoftNintendoprince-of-persiaprince-of-persia-classicprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandsrumorWiiXbox-360Wed, 17 Feb 2010 19:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/16/first-suspiciously-nice-screens-of-wii-prince-of-persia-the-for/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/16/first-suspiciously-nice-screens-of-wii-prince-of-persia-the-for/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/16/first-suspiciously-nice-screens-of-wii-prince-of-persia-the-for/#commentsclick to PoP into the gallery
Want to see what Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands will look like on Wii? You're going to have to wait a while longer. In the meantime, you can enjoy some ridiculously high-res screenshots that Ubisoft says are the Wii version. We like their optimism.

In addition to these outrageous screens, Ubi released some new info about the game, which sounds both believable and neat. The levels will have alternate paths, some of which require acrobatics and crazy sand powers to access. The press release specifies 15 hours of gameplay in addition to unlockables, secret paths, and such.

The actual Wii version, which we're guessing will display in actual Wii resolution, will be out May 18.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Nintendoprince-of-persiaprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandsrelease-dateubisoftubisoft-quebec-cityWiiTue, 16 Feb 2010 13:29:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/12/prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-screens-seem-too-good-to-b/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/12/prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-screens-seem-too-good-to-b/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/12/prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-screens-seem-too-good-to-b/#comments
Though IGN is calling the Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands images it posted screenshots, we're not sure we buy it. They're absolutely pretty, but the amount of motion blur and polish we're seeing leads us to believe that these are way retouched. We've asked Ubisoft for clarification.

The bigger problem is, of course, that no matter what they are, the Prince doesn't look nearly enough like movie-Prince-to-be Jake Gyllenhaal. We need screens from this game to look so much like Jake Gyllenhaal that we're confused and worried for Jake Gyllenhaal's personal safety when we look at them. And no, we're not just trying to teach ourselves how to spell Gyllenhaal. Why would you say that?

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bullshotMicrosoftprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandsscreenshotsubisoftXbox-360Tue, 12 Jan 2010 12:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/14/prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-fills-in-gaps-before-warri/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/14/prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-fills-in-gaps-before-warri/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/14/prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-fills-in-gaps-before-warri/#comments
During a recent Ubisoft preview event, Michael McIntyre, director of level design for Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, talked to Joystiq about the new sequel to the old trilogy, establishing its connection to the Sands of Time game series and the Bruckheimer film. The Forgotten Sands is a side story, based in the Sands of Time universe, bridging the seven-year gap between the original Sands of Time game and its sequel, Warrior Within.

Clearly, Ubisoft has positioned the next game to piggyback on the Bruckheimer blockbuster and ideally generate renewed sales for the brand (which underperformed in its 2008 iteration). Forgotten Sands is also an opportunity for Ubisoft to finally justify the Prince's remarkable transformation from carefree hero to brooding, emo warrior.

Continue reading for our full interview with Michael McIntyre -- after the break -- in which he reveals new (and rewinding revisited) elements in the game and the return of a familiar voice.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anvil-engineDSinterviewmichael-mcintyreMicrosoftNintendoprince-of-persiaprince-of-persia-movieprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandsprince-of-persia-the-sands-of-timethe-forgotten-sandsubisoftWiiXbox-360yuri-lowenthalMon, 14 Dec 2009 12:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/13/spike-vga-2009-wrap-up-the-awards-the-trailers-the-premieres/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/13/spike-vga-2009-wrap-up-the-awards-the-trailers-the-premieres/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/13/spike-vga-2009-wrap-up-the-awards-the-trailers-the-premieres/#comments
As you can probably tell by looking at our front page, last night's Spike Video Game Awards show was a pretty prolific source of gaming news. From the big reveals of games like Batman: Arkham Asylum 2 and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2, to new trailers for Crackdown 2 and Halo: Reach, to ... well, the actual awards, it was a pretty busy night for all parties involved.

We've collected all the stories, trailers, and winners of each award in this post to prevent you from hunting through our archives -- or our hateful, hateful liveblog -- to find what you're looking for. You'll find them all listed after the jump!

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>awardsbatman-arkham-asylum-2crackdown-2deadliest-warriorgreen-day-rock-bandhalo-reachmedal-of-honorMedal-of-Honor-2010MicrosoftNintendoprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandsspec-ops-the-linespike-vga-2009star-wars-the-force-unleashed-2tron-evolutiontrue-crimeufc-undisputed-2010vgaWiiXbox-360Sun, 13 Dec 2009 17:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/13/get-sandy-with-the-first-prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-f/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/13/get-sandy-with-the-first-prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-f/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/13/get-sandy-with-the-first-prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-f/#comments We're not sure if it's possible to Gyllenhaalify a game, but that's exactly how we'd describe what's happened to the Prince in the latest trailer for Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands. Premiering last night on the Spike Video Game Awards, the first footage from the game doesn't show us much in the vein of actual gameplay, but it does remind us repeatedly of the everlasting nature of sand. Unfortunately, we won't get to control Prince Dreamboat through Sandland until sometime in May. In the meantime, we have the trailer for you just after the break.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>prince-of-persiaprince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sandsspike-vga-2009the-forgotten-sandstrailerubisoftvga-2009Sun, 13 Dec 2009 16:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/30/prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-to-continue-sands-of-time/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/30/prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-to-continue-sands-of-time/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/30/prince-of-persia-the-forgotten-sands-to-continue-sands-of-time/#comments
Ubisoft has just announced a new Prince of Persia -- but it's not a sequel to 2008's polarizing adventure (if desired, add unhappy emoticons to sentence). Instead, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands will continue the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Timetrilogy series, complete with "many of the fan-favorite elements" and "new gameplay innovations that gamers have come to expect from the Prince of Persia brand." Oh, and an accompanying film!

You can catch the game's premiere trailer on Spike TV's Video Game Awards on Saturday, December 12, 2009 at 8 p.m. EST. Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands is scheduled for release on "consoles and handhelds" in May 2010.